{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,20]],"date-time":"2026-07-20T13:06:03Z","timestamp":1784552763066,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,11]],"date-time":"2026-07-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783728000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pediatric Reports"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Growing evidence indicates a bidirectional relationship between the gut microbiota and sleep disturbances in children, with the microbiota\u2013gut\u2013brain axis (MGBA) mediating this interaction. Sleep, circadian rhythms, and the gut microbiota form an interdependent and developmentally dynamic network that plays a crucial role in neurodevelopment during infancy and childhood. Although the mechanisms underlying this complex interaction have not yet been fully elucidated, emerging evidence suggests that multiple dimensions of sleep\u2014including duration, quality, timing, and regularity\u2014are closely associated with gut microbial composition and function. These findings support the rationale for nutritional and microbiota-targeted interventions during critical developmental windows. However, most mechanistic and taxonomic evidence derives from adult or mixed-age cohorts, while methodological heterogeneity, geographic bias, and the predominance of cross-sectional studies limit causal inference. This review provides an overview of the recent literature investigating the role of the gut microbiota in sleep and sleep disorders in children and summarizes potential microbiota-based therapeutic strategies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pediatric18040094","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T02:34:44Z","timestamp":1783996484000},"page":"94","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Gut Microbiota and Sleep Disorders with a Special Focus on the Pediatric Population"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6323-4187","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alberto","family":"Verrotti","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, University of Perugia, 06129 Perugia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Virginia","family":"Filippini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, University of Perugia, 06129 Perugia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Barbara","family":"Federici","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Digestive Endoscopy, University of Perugia, 06129 Perugia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-3021-6627","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Valentina","family":"Biagioli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, 16126 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lino","family":"Nobili","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, 16126 Genoa, Italy"},{"name":"IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9449-3464","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pietro","family":"Ferrara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Pediatrics, Campus Biomedico, 00128 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6065-1476","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pasquale","family":"Striano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, 16126 Genoa, Italy"},{"name":"IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Han, Y., Wang, Z., Xie, J., Yang, G., Su, M., Wang, S., Yang, M., Yu, H., Li, M., and Wang, L. 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